Sample Objectives for Campaigns and Strategies -
Why is Goal Setting Important

Sample objectives for campaigns and strategies:

Make your objectives: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant and Timely (S.M.A.R.T) where possible. For instance, your objectives may be related to:

Increasing stakeholder awareness

Improving team efficiency and productivity

Gaining management sponsorship and buy-in

Changing the perception of your team

Improving team culture and behavior.

Sample objectives 1:

An internal brand campaign that will promote:
A 100% accuracy standard for 2004 and
A cost effective change solution that will drive attitude and behaviors towards living the value and standards.

Sample objectives 2:

Re-energise the employees

Remind everyone they are part of a success story of the company, - a company that is growing and reinventing itself when the competition is downsizing

Encapsulate the success, energy and momentum in one word that will also contain a challenging message.

Objective 3:

To give recognition to Brokers for supporting the company's total product range and to motivate Brokers to reach the next level through increased sales.

To project the perception of the company as a forward thinker.

To help you meet your objectives, list all of the guidelinesthat are applicable to the dissemination of communications messages within your team, eg:

All messages will be audience-specific

Every key message will be communicated formally

Messages will be distributed through an appropriate channel

The team will communicate what people need to know before they need to know it

Communication will be tailored, based on what people need to know

All critical communications must be approved by management prior to distribution

Only the communications team will be able to distribute official press releases

Project-wide meetings will be held at all important milestones

Regular, unbiased reporting will be undertaken

The project team will listen and act on feedback

Difference Between Goals and Objectives

What is the difference between goals and objectives? Although the two are connected they are in fact quite different and often times create differing results.

It is important for a company as a whole to understand these differences in order to get the results they want. The differences between these tow often confused terms as well as tips for making them work to a company' s best advantage are outlined in the following paragraphs.

Goals Versus Objectives

What makes these seemingly interchangeable terms different? For starters, it's the very nature of the two. Objectives are specific, indepth descriptions of what must be achieved. They are precise and tangible. They tend to be less emotional than goals, particularly in a company setting.

Goals are general ideas, they may be intangible and they often involve emotion. When a company is in the beginning stages of planning out the direction they want to take with a campaign or any other aspect of that company, goals can be useful. Those goals will need to make the leap to objectives in order to get things accomplished; this makes all the difference between goals and objectives. There's only one way to get there, and that's by using the S.M.A.R.T method.

Setting SMART Objectives

Having structured, set goals is what upgrades them to objectives and the plans behind them are what hold them up or allow them to fall. It is crucial that a company's employees understand the difference between goals and objectives as well, it is a team effort to achieve them!

The only way to avoid having employees fail to understand the company's plans is to fail to have S.M.A.R.T objectives. S.M.A.R.T is an acronym for Specific - Measurable - Attainable - Relevant - Timely, which are the ingredients to making objectives work. Here are the definitions for the proper usage of each part of the S.M.A.R.T method:

Being Specific This is where being precise comes into play. Employees need to walk out of a meeting feeling motivated and knowing just what to do in their individual roles to steer the company in the direction it needs to go. Communication is key and having objectives clearly stated will benefit employees. Sharing the S.M.A.R.T meaning and explaining the difference between goals and objectives to them also helps.

MeasurableMeasuring an objective is what gets the ball rolling and keeps it going until it hits the target. Have a plan for each aspect of the company to work towards to make it happen and then stay on top of things by keeping track of how everyone is doing so that the company meets its goal by the planned date or time. Establish the actions that need to be taken and ensure they are getting done.

Attainable After the brainstorming stages concrete plans must be determined. What the company needs to accomplish should be considered and the goals need to be realistic and doable. Employees will be happy to assist in bringing the company to a higher level as long as the tasks at hand seem within their reach. Remember that once certain objectives are met, more can be set and the process will get the company where it wants to be over time. Take baby steps towards the bigger prize and don't over work employees trying to achieve the currently unachievable.

RelevantWhen planning out attainable objectives, be sure they are also relevant. What this means is that they are beneficial to the company, its employees and clients and that the means by which they are being asked to be met is relevant to the roles of the employees. Hand out tasks to the right individuals and they'll get accomplished more efficiently.

TimelySetting timely objectives should be the clearest part. Set a date and timeframe in which the company should complete each goal that will fill in the bigger picture.

Knowing the difference between goals and objective helps companies advance and communicate more efficiently with employees.